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@uitrit tatrs gatrnt @ffies S. J. PATTERSON, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

Letters Patent No. 77,086, :dated April 21, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN KNIVES FOR RBMOVING THE SKINS FROM ANIMALS.

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To ALL WHOM 1T MAY eoNOERN;Y

Be it known that I, S. J. PATTERSON, of Bridgeport', in the county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Knife for Removing Hides and Skins; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to in whichmake and use the same, reference ybeing'had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side view of my improved knife, one of the guard-plates being partly broken away, to show the construction. Figure 2 isa detail cross-section of the same, taken throughthe line :v x, iig. 1. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention has for its Object to furnish animproved knife, designed especially for butchers use, in

removing the hides and skins of animals, which shall be so constructed and arranged as to guard against injuring the skin's and hides, by cutting them, during the process of removing them from the animals; and it consists in adjustably securing the blade between two guard-plates, as hereinafter more fully described.

A is the knife-blade,rwhieh is made of any desired shape or size, according to the particular purpose for which the knife is to 'be used. The back of the'blade A may be notched, as shown in fig. 1, so that the said blade may he adjusted as required.

B and C are two guard-plates, made in the general form of the blade A, a'nd secured to each other, clamping the blade A between them bythe screws D, as .shown inthe drawings. Upon the rear edge of one of the guard-plates is'formcda ange, projecting inwardd for a distance equal to the thickness of the blade A, so as to closely close the back of the knife, t0 prevent the ingress of animal matter, and the consequent rusting thereof.

The forward edges ofthe plates B and C are bevellcd off, as shown in figs. 1 and 2, so that the edge Of the knife may more readily Aenter between the hide or skin and the esh of the animal, while the bevelled edge of the one plate rests against said skin, and the bevelled edge of the other plate rests against said flesh.

The forward edge of one' or the other of the plates B andC is bevelled with a sharper bevel than the edge of the other plate, according as the knife is to .be used by a right or left-handed man, experience having demonstrated that the great imperfectionof the knives now in use for the removal of skins is that their bladeedges are guarded to an equal depth on both sides, whereas it is absolutelyrequisite, in order to combine all the features of a perfect knife, that that side of its edge projecting beyond the plate, and which impinges or glides against the skin when being used, should not be quite or nearly` so long as that which is nearest to the flesh. And this is found, upon trialto be a most excellent expedient, and greatly facilitates the v'removal of the skins, while preventing the possibility of their injury.

E is the handle, which is attached, in the ordinary manner, to a. tang formed upon or attached to one or the other of the plates B and C, as may be desired or most convenient.

By this construction, as the blade becomes dull or worn, it may be removed and ground, and again replaced and adjusted between' the said plates.

This construction also enables the blade to be adjusted se as to project more or less beyond the bevelled edges of the plates B and C, according to the character Of the Work for which the knife is to be used.

.I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentg As a new article ofvnianufacture, a knife for removing skins from animals, constructed as described, consisting of the curved blade'A, having a back Of irregular form, adjustably secured between the two sides BC, having their edges bevelled at different angles, and formingthe outer portion of the handle E, said blade and sides being pointed at one ond, in the form of a knife, as herein shown and described.

S. J. PATTERSON. Witnesses: I

JOHN E. POND,

R. H. ToMLINsoN. 

